INEGI distinguishes two personalities as honorary associates

INEGI has two new honorary associates, whom its Board of Directors decided to honor for their role in strengthening and developing the institution: António Torres Marques and Artur Santos Silva. Both are known for their extensive civic activity and contributions to the academic, scientific and political ecosystems, and leave a significant legacy in INEGI's progress and success.

António Torres Marques was Chairman of the Board of INEGI between 1997 and 2000, and Director of DEMec between 2006 and 2014. Throughout his professional life, he has played a key role in bringing University – Industry closer together, in numerous projects and relations with industry, and in the development of composite materials as an area of knowledge at DEMec, at INEGI and in the country. Today, the business area he founded at INEGI not only has the largest dimension in the Institute, but is also one of the most scientifically recognized in national and international terms.

Alcibíades Paulo Guedes, chairman of INEGI's Board of Directors, highlighted his "availability for INEGI, in moments of reflection, in contributions to its development, in listening to the «bases», in anticipating trends. Even today, despite not performing any executive functions at INEGI, he continues to be one of our references".

Artur Santos Silva, in addition to the outstanding professional roles he developed throughout his life, also stood out for his civic activity, dedicating particular attention to business innovation, University-Industry interaction, and his role in the development of the business fabric.

For more than two decades, and while he was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of BPI bank (1981-2004) and, later, Chairman of this Board (2004-2015), and Chairman of the Board of COTEC Portugal (2006-2009), "he was always available to support and encourage INEGI", stresses Alcibíades Paulo Guedes. "In particular, he was, by his initiative, one of the drivers of BPI bank's participation in the INEGI Endowment Fund, thus making an important contribution to financing the construction of the current facilities, now expanded, making possible a structural investment for the development of INEGI", he adds.